According to a University of Georgia study, the buying power of American minorities was $1.6 trillion in 2010. Targeting minority groups can be an effective way to hone in on your product niche demographic and outreach points. Products that target elements of minority culture, such as foods, skin or hair care, are obvious products to sell to minority groups. Products that target the general public, things such as banking or transportation, require more targeted and culturally sensitive marketing language in order to be successful.

Research The Minority Group to Craft Messaging

The first step in selling to minorities is to identify the minority group you wish to target. Depending on what you are trying to sell, the product may translate well for many different minority groups; however, the messaging needed to connect with and relate to each minority group must be unique. For example, Thai culture differs from Chinese culture and Dominican culture differs from Mexican culture. Products that are a great fit for a Mexican family may be unnecessary for a Dominican family. Research and outline the shared pain points, values and experiences of the minority group and use them to craft the sales messaging. Also research the gender roles based on each minority group. Which gender is most likely to purchase both personal items and items for the family? This particular person may be the direct target of your communication. Within your ads, consider using visual cues to draw your target audience in. Because people are drawn to images of other people, use images that represent the particular minority group or individual you are targeting. If the minority group you are targeting speaks a different language than that of the majority, consider hiring a professional in marketing communication in that particular language to craft complementary promotions in the group's native language. It's important to remember that it's not just translating the words to a different language, but translating the messaging to the culture.

Sell via Traditional Media Marketing

Sell to minority groups by reaching them via the media they consume. Depending on the media type -- newspapers, magazines, television, radio -- the particular media source may vary. Think critically about your media source not just by the ethnic group it targets, but in relation to the specific type of person within that particular group you are targeting. For example, if you are looking to sell luxury-priced wrinkle cream to African-American women, consider promoting on a station that reaches an older, affluent African-American market, like a jazz station, as opposed to a hip-hop station.

Sell via Direct Marketing

Direct marketing offers more of a personal touch than selling through a particular media source. Postal mailing, phone calls and email marketing are types of marketing that reach out to each individual. You can sometimes get direct contact lists for minority groups via community or professional groups. Depending on the area, minority groups may be heavily concentrated in particular neighborhoods. The post office offers direct-mail marketing options you can use to sell to them.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing, depending on the platform, offers direct ethnic group targeting. Social media marketing also allows for the sharing of information about a particular product or service within groups of friends, which is a way your promotional messaging can be expanded beyond your traditional reach. Consider using social media marketing to have conversations with minority consumers and to monitor conversations. Howard Buford, president and CEO of Prime Access, a multicultural marketing and advertising company in New York City, expressed the importance of listening to the conversation when it comes to marketing. In a 2011 National Journal article Buford said, “Really understand the level of conversation. It’s like going to a party, and two people are talking. You have to wait and listen and come in when appropriate."

About the Author

Tivi Jones has been writing and editing since 2006. She has worked with print and digital magazine publishers such as Bauer Publishings and book publishers like Sourcebooks, Inc. Jones holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and entrepreneurship from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has been in the marketing and business development consulting field for more than nine years.